Warsash Spring Series - Testing Conditions for Day 4

A testing day for competitors and committee boats alike at day four (Sunday 2 April) of the Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series.

It was set to be a challenging day on the Solent; a sunny spring day but with a forecast of 5 to 10 knots of breeze dropping towards lunchtime and tides at about 85% of full springs.

In the combined White Group Betty (J/80 -Jon Powell) has taken the lead this week with a 6th 2nd and 1st on Sunday, from Jester (J/80 Mike Lewis) with a 2nd 4th and 5th, in third place overall is Cosmic (J/70 - Patrick Liardet) who had a good day with a 1st, 1st and 3rd.

Trouble & Strife (SB20 - Radley College) is in sixth place overall and dominating the SB20 class with six straight firsts.

In IRC1 Kestrel (J/111 - Simon Banford) had her first win of the series, after a string of thirds, with Jagerbomb (J/111 - Paul Griffiths) second and Night Owl 2 (MAT 12 - Julie Fawcett) third. Night Owl 2 continues her lead of the class but Kestral is biting at her heels in a close second.

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In IRC2 Dusty P (Beneteau First 40 - Richard Patrick) had her first win too, pushing Sailplane (Beneteau First 40 -Rob Bottomley) into an unfamiliar second place, with Lancelot II (Beneteau First 40 - Sailing Logic) in third. Sailplane continues to lead the class overall, but Dusty P is closing the gap.

The J/88s had an individual recall, but all boats restarted correctly and the finishing order was J-Dream (David and Kirsty Apthorp) first, with Sabriel Jr (Dirk and Dianne van Beek) in second place, and Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat (Paul Ward) in third.

IRC3 also saw an individual recall: Quokka was one of the OCS boats who returned and restarted correctly which put her about three minutes late, however she managed to fight her way back to a good second place, and only missed the bullet by nine seconds on corrected time.

J'Ronimo (David Greenhaigh) was first with Jumblesail 2 (Rachel & Robert Hunt) third. It was not such a great race for Scarlet Jester who came in fourth but she lies only one point away from Quokka overall.

The J/109s had some drama with the series leader Jynnan Tonnyx (Owain Franks) touching the ground near Calshot spit and sticking hard enough that she had to watch the fleet sail off and away.

This left Jaygo (Mike & Susie Yates) and Jiraffe (Simon Perry) fighting it out at the front of the fleet. In the end Jiraffe took Jaygo on the final beat to win with Mojo Risin' (Rob Cotteril) in third.

Jynnan Tonnyx now lies third overall, with Jago leading the class followed by Jiraffe but with only one point between the three of them!

Nothing is set in stone in most of the classes as we head into the last two Sundays of the Spring Series, and see the start of the Crewsaver Warsash Spring Championship on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th April continuing after Easter on 22nd and 23rd April.